Sardar Azmoun
Sardar Azmoun (Persian: سردار آزمون‎; Turkmen: Serdar Azmun, born 1 January 1995 in Gonbad-e Kavus)[3] is an Iranian professional footballer who plays for Rostov on loan from Rubin Kazan in the Russian Premier League and the Iranian national team. Club career 'Early years' Sardar Azmoun started to play club football when he was 9.[4] He began his career at Oghab Gonbad of Gonbad-e Kavus.[5] He also played volleyball and was invited to Iran's national under-15 volleyball team.[4] After some years, he joined Shamoushak Gorgan, before joining Etka Gorgan F.C., which was playing in Division 1 in Iran at the time.[6] Sepahan At age 15, Sardar joined Sepahan's youth ranks.[5] While Sardar appeared for the club during their preseason friendlies abroad in Turkey, he did not make a professional appearance for the club as Sepahan won the 2011–12 Iran Pro League, and lifted the trophy.[4] During the 2012–13 season thanks to Azmoun's great display in the Iran's youth team, his name started being mentioned along some of Europe's top clubs. It was during the winter of 2013 when he transferred to Rubin Kazan at the age of 17.[5] Rubin Kazan 2012–13 season In January 2013, he received an offer from Russian team Rubin Kazan to join them; meanwhile he had contract offers from two Iranian teams, Persepolis and Esteghlal, as well as a bid from Inter Milan, but he rejected the offers to work with Kurban Berdyev in the Russian Premier League.[7][5] In his first season at the club, he made 8 appearances for his club reserve team, scoring two goals and receiving one yellow card. He was also picked for the 18 man match day squad on a number of occasions, but failed to make his senior debut. 2013–14 season Azmoun in training with Rubin Kazan On 25 July 2013, he made his debut for the senior team in a UEFA Europa League match againstJagodina, coming on as a 73rd minute substitute as Rubin won 1–0.[8] He is the youngest ever Iranian footballer to play in a European match. On 29 August, he scored his first goal in just his second senior appearance for Rubin in a 3-0 Europa League win against Molde, coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute.[9] He made his league debut with a goal and an assist on 6 October 2013, coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute in a 5–1 win over Anzhi Makhachkala. On 27 March 2014, English Premier League side Arsenal reportedly made a £2 million offer to Kazan for the transfer of 19-year-old Azmoun, sparking interest from A.C. Milan, Juventus, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Barcelona as well.[10][11][12] On 30 March 2014, he scored his second league goal for Rubin Kazan in a 2–1 defeat to Rostov.[13] On 6 April, he scored a goal in Rubin Kazan's defeat to Zenit St. Petersburg.[14] In a match against Kyrlia Sovetov on 10 May, Azmoun came on as a substitute in the 55th minute, scoring a goal and providing an assist in a 4–0 win.[15][16] 2014–15 season On 4 July 2014, Rubin Kazan announced through their official website that Azmoun will remain at the club despite his transfer offers from Arsenal, Liverpool and Zenit St. Petersburg. He scored Rubin Kazan's goal in a 1–1 draw against Hellas Verona in a pre-season friendly match on 27 July 2014. He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against Terek Grozny during the 87th minute. On 30 October, he scored a goal in their victory over Spartak Moscow in the 2014–15 Russian Cup.[17] Rostov (loan) Azmoun playing for Rostov against Kuban Krasnodaron 16 March 2015 On 26 February 2015, Azmoun signed a three-and-a-half-month loanDEAL with relegation-battlingRussian Premier League club FC Rostov until the end of the season.[18][19] On 16 March, Azmoun came on as a substitute in the 73rd minute and scored the match winner in the 88th minute against Kuban Krasnodar.[20] Azmoun again found the back of the net on 26 April 2015 in Rostov's 2–2 draw againstDynamo Moscow. His good performance earned him a place on the Russian Premier League Team of the Week.[21] He scored Rostov's winning goal in the relegation play-offs on 7 June. At the end of the season Azmoun extended his loanDEAL with Rostov.[22][23] International career Youth Asmoun broke out while representing the Iran U-20 side, becoming top scorer of the 2012 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup, scoring seven goals in six games. On 8 October 2013, Azmoun played for the U-20 team during the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship qualification in Kerman. In a match against Lebanon, Azmoun captained the team by scoring two goals, assisting one and drawing a penalty.[24] Azmoun was called into the U-23's team for Olympic qualifiers in March 2015.[25] He was the tournament's leading goalscorer going into the final matchday with 4 goals in 3 matches. Senior On 5 October 2013, Azmoun was called up to the Iranian national football team against Thailand by Carlos Queiroz.[26][27] He was selected in Iran's 30-man provisional squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup by Queiroz.[28] Azmoun made his senior debut on 26 May 2014 in a friendly match against Montenegro, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute for Reza Ghoochannejhad.[29] However, Azmoun was not included in Iran's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, announced on 1 June 2014.[30] He scored his first goal on 18 November 2014 in a 1–0 friendly win over South Korea.[31] He was called into Iran's 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad on 30 December 2014 by Carlos Queiroz.[32] He scored a goal in the next match, a 1–0 friendly win over rivals Iraq. Azmoun then scored the winner in the second game of the Asian Cup with a great piece of individual skill against Qatar.[33] He also opened the scoring against Iraq in the quarter-finals with a header. On 3 September 2015, Azmoun scored his first senior brace, in a 6–0 defeat of Guam in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.[34] Style of play Sardar Azmoun has been praised for his aerial ability, creativity, and bursts of acceleration.[35] Azmoun has been referred to as a young Zlatan Ibrahimović.[36] Personal life Azmoun is of Iranian Turkmen origin.[37][38] He speaks Turkmen and Persian fluently, and is fond of riding onhorseback.[39] He decided to wear number 69 at Kazan as a tribute to his hometown's vehicle registration plate.[4] He is the son of Khalil Azmoun, a former Iranian national volleyball team player who has coached several volleyball teams, such as Golgohar Sirjan andJavaheri Gonbad VC.[40] Career statistics Azmoun playing for Iran in a 2014 friendly match against Montenegro Club :As of 22 August 2015[41] International International Goals :Scores and results list Iran's goal tally first.[42] ;Under-17 ;Under-20 ;Under-23 ;Senior Honours Club ;Sepahan *Iran Pro League (1): 2011–12 International ;Iran U-17 *West Asian Football Federation Championship: 2009[43] Individual *Commonwealth of Independent States Cup top scorer: 2012[44] *Russian Premier League Team of the Week (1): 2014–15[45] Category:1995 births Category:Iranian footballers Category:Sepahan players Category:Iranian Turkmen people Category:People from Gonbad-e Qabus Category:Iranian expatriate footballers Category:Expatriate footballers in Russia Category:FC Rubin Kazan players Category:FC Rostov players Category:Russian Football Premier League players Category:Iran international footballers Category:Association football forwards Category:Association football wingers Category:2015 AFC Asian Cup players